Castles in Moonlight

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Ok, not quilting, but these things have to get done or you can't quilt. So the shelves went up a week ago. Very nice.

Wooden shelf has been one of my favorites so that will hold shoes and things.

Now with my clothes in, it looks great and I have more room!

Fun clothes on one side! I haven't seen some of these clothes for over 1 1/2 years! They have been packed away for that long waiting to get things done!

Hats up high...I still have two large clear boxes of hats that I can't find in the house!!! I have put them somewhere out of the way, and really can't find them. They are the felt hats that I got in England!

Now soap dishes might not seem like a big deal, but it's driving me crazy. Try to find one that goes with the bathroom, and doesnt' get too slimy from the soap! This one goes with the colors of the room, but gets slimy very quickly and the soap would stick to the dish.

So I got this thingy to keep it out of the slim, but now it doesn't look very good...

So I found these beach chairs (actually salt and pepper shakers). They would hold a bar of soap until it got worn down, and then it would slip out of the chair.

So in Walmart clearance isle, there was this alligator dish with the little bird on the back. It's working out very well so far! Just is fun! With me, I go for cute and fun every time. Why not?

I even got some playdoh to try to make a soap dish. I want a wave that has a place where the slimy stuff could run down into the sink instead of building up. See how I could have it on the edge of the sink and let the goop drain out. So one day, I will get out the playdoh and have some fun! Got the colors of water to try and make it look like waves heading to the sink.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

The show is in Pigeon Forge and today is the last day it's open. Well worth a trip there!!! So here are just a few for you to see. The quality of quilts this year was very, very good!!! This one is a Hawaiian style one in the antique quilt section.

The different areas were labeled well and they even had the name of the judge up. Don't ask me who it was now, I forgot to take a picture of her sign. I love the rainbow colors in this one! Things that just POP off the quilt really catch my eye

I tried to get the names, but by the time I down load the pictures then transfer them to the blog...I'm not so sure you can read them. I love this one with the reproduction fabrics!!

This one was amazing. Looks simple, but go up close and there was an amazing amount of stitching in the leaves.

Can you see in the white and red leaves? So much detail.

The hand work in this one was super. I used to do embroidery before I started quilting.

This was so cute! Lots of work in each block.

This has been published and I remember looking at it. But up close! there is so much detail in every single part!!!

Three-D stuff in every corner and the top has waves in fabric. If you ever get a chance to stand in front of this one, take time to just look!

There was a challenge where they pick 2 crayons and could add a third color to make a small piece. The designs were creative and delightful!

They have the crayons in the baggies.

Nice Hawaiian design on a pieced background!

This is the technique with cutouts folded back. Very clever! I do want to try that someday...

The amount of thread in this one is unreal. His pants are blue background, but it's totally sewn over to make the highlights. I'm surprised that didn't get a ribbon.

My camera didn't get the colors exactly right. But on a black curtain without a flash, it did ok. There was a lot more royal blue in it. I love this bargello. Another one on my list of things to make one day!

This one could be easily overlooked, but it was very, very interesting! Simple boxes of all different sizes with something in each box! Colors are balanced and put together well. I really like this one!

Nice to see Hawaiian ones getting blue ribbons in Tennessee!

This is just too cute!

A bird of paradise! Nice the way it more than fills out the quilt.

Soft colors with exact piecing! Not easy with those thin pieces!

This bear is adorable! It was velvet fabric, sewn on there very loosely! Just wonderful!

Here's an interesting way to make a double wedding ring! And it so deserved the blue ribbon!

Here's the detail shot. I loved this one, not just because it's blue...but it was so beautiful.

This Halloween quilt had so much applique details! I just loved the little owls in it!

Another Hawaiian design takes a ribbon!!!

This one I want to make! You can see the spools very well. I hadn't noticed that the one in the bottom corner was tipped! It is so pretty!

Another challenge there had fabric that was the colors of peacocks. The pictures don't do them justice.

This eagle was so realistic!

Just a gorgeous design!

Best one! I can see why!

The 2 love birds!!!

And this one had so much going on in the middle with 3-d fabric exploding out!

Going to shows always gets my designing juices flowing! There is so much that can be done with fabric. Following a pattern...well, you know exactly what you will have in the end. And I did pick up a couple of patterns up there. I use them as the diving board. I don't make exactly what is there. Mine always take a flip or turn and then it's "mine". You just have to trust your instinct and go with it! Now plenty of my things have just gone badly...but you learn that is not the way to do something. Sounds silly, but remember when you were learning how to drive? You might have made a few mistakes along the way? Parallel parking? Never use that much any ways, but you had to try. So try new things and see what it brings.

Before it you will be making your own designs that others might want to know, "how did you do that?" Fun! And then you see people either copying it, or doing a variation. I figure if they can copy mine....more power to them! I'm having fun! Maybe I should put out a book... but that would take time away from the actual sewing!

So cut, sew, play. Then if you don't like it...cut it up some more and add something else to it! You never know what can happen!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Ok, this might not be exciting to some people, but the remodel (that finished in December) did not get my shelving up until this past Sunday! Craig, the carpenter, came and we spent the day in my closet!

Sounds like fun, but it was work! I have the closet the way I want!!!

Shelves all the way around the top.

And I spent yesterday taking my clothes out of boxes, where they have been for almost 2 years!!! Like opening Christmas presents... accept some things don't fit anymore... Goodwill will get a box.

But the fun things are on one side!

Hats on the top shelf! You know I still can't find 2 LARGE clear boxes of my hats!!! I really can't find them in the house! And a box of boots! I can really hide things.

Well there is more room in this walk-in closet now than I have ever had before! I'm thrilled! Doesn't take much to keep me happy! I guess I am patient...

NOW TO Quilt!!! Just got back from my chiropractor. My back was really hurting. Think it was from the Sunday project and moving the boxes around. I really don't know how I was living without a chiropractor before! I go every month to get straightened out.

Tomorrow, a 1 1/2 hour massage! I get the extra 1/2 hour because my birthday is this month. So they are going to do the foot massage with the cocoa butter and sugar scrub! I'm so looking forward to this!!! You have to give yourself good things! YOU are worth it! Don't forget that!

Then Thursday, instead of going to bee... which I hate to miss, but there is a quilt show in Pigeon Forge. That is about 1:45 away from me. So I'll cruise up there and see the quilts, do a little shopping, and come home. It's supposed to rain, so it's a good day to see a show!

The rest of today will be having funny movies on, and quilting to them! Got to have laughs and music going! Sweet!

What will you be making today? Come on! Cut up some fabric...you know you have it! Start something new! It's a play day!!!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Ok! I took afternoon off from other quilts to make this little bag. The pattern is BB Bags by Brookshier Design Studio. I made the smallest one, by mistake... I wanted the medium one. But I love this size... just means I'll be making a couple more!

Now I can usually look at directions and "get" them right away...but this was 8 pages long to make this little purse! Confusing as all get-out! But I kept going... seems you have to line ever piece and that wasn't clear from the start. Also some pieces get interfacing...and then you have to watch if you are fussy cutting the pictures like I did. So it would be easier if you just use a fabric that doesn't have an up or down.

But I love this fabric and it was calling out to be in a bag! There is a pocket there on the back, so I fussy cut that to make it line up.

Then the handle called for sewing a strip. Dull, boring. I have this jumbo rickrack and I added the smaller red onto it to keep it from stretching out. Silly thought since it wouldn't have much weight in it anyways. But I think this will be a great little thing for going to quilt shows and traveling!